Seoul City Creates Flower Streets in 34 Areas Including Declining Commercial Districts and Downtown

Stagnant Commercial Areas Like Daehangno See Fewer Visitors, Decorated with Flowers Around Temporary COVID-19 Testing Sites and Elsewhere

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] In Seoul, 34 locations across the city, including commercial districts and downtown areas that have been stagnant due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, as well as around temporary screening clinics where citizens continue to visit for COVID testing, will open “flower paths” to comfort citizens weary from the pandemic.

On the 18th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that following the creation of flower paths with spring flowers along 164 routes, additional flower paths will be established along 34 routes blooming with summer and autumn flowers. They plan to plant summer and autumn blooming species such as Sunpatiens, Lysimachia, Plumbago, Angelonia, Lantana, Pentas, Variegated Hostas, Heuchera, Gaura Baby, and Silver Grass.

The “flower path” project aims to revitalize the shrinking landscaping and floriculture industries and contribute to the emotional and aesthetic stability of citizens, enriching the otherwise bleak urban life. Earlier this spring, Seoul planted 1,377,000 flowers along 164 routes (total length 65,262 meters, area 27,173 square meters), turning many streets into flower paths.

Seoul plans to invigorate citizens who have endured an especially difficult summer due to the combination of COVID-19 and the summer heatwave. To allow citizens to enjoy the flowers sooner, the original plan to start planting at the end of this month has been moved up, with flower paths beginning on the 18th in Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, and completing all 34 routes by early to mid-September.

The flower paths will be created in major downtown areas with high foot traffic, commercial districts depressed by the prolonged COVID-19 situation, and around temporary screening and testing clinics. A total of 754 street flower pots and 991 hanging flower pots will be installed, and 10 three-dimensional flower beds will be constructed.

Along Daehak-ro and Itaewon, street flower pots will be placed along the streets so citizens can stroll through flower-filled streets. At temporary screening clinics such as the one installed at Nowon-gu Citizens’ Hall and the one operated in Geumcheon-gu, flower pots will be clustered where waiting citizens and medical staff can easily see them by just turning their heads. On barren traffic islands such as above the Toegye-ro underpass and in front of the main gate of Seoul National University, colorful three-dimensional flower beds will be created and street flower pots placed.

Yu Young-bong, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Green City Bureau, said, “Following the difficult summer endured by citizens due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the unusually severe heatwave, we are adding flower paths along 34 routes at the threshold of autumn to allow citizens to experience small happiness in their daily lives through various flowers. We will do our best to complete the flower paths so that citizens can find comfort for their weary minds and bodies from COVID-19 through the various flowers and plants they encounter unexpectedly throughout the city streets.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.